He's Gone
by Tailwalker97
Summary: What would've happened if Beyal hadn't survived the explosion after episode 13? And how would Jinja take it...? Songfic to "Slipped Away" by Avril Lavigne. Takes place right after episode 13, "Shadow"


I searched through the rubble with Charger and Whipper at my side, helping to move the chunks of concrete and metal. I had to find him. He had to have survived! Beyal had to be alive. He was probably just trapped somewhere. That's why he wasn't responding when we called his name God-knows-how many times. He just couldn't hear us or couldn't respond. Chase and Bren and Dax are all telling me that he's gone. That he didn't make it. I wasn't going to believe it for a second. My little monkfish had to be alive! He just had to!

Charger snorted after moving a heap of rubble with his strong moose antlers. He could tell I was getting a bit overwhelmed again and he nudged me softly. I put my hand on his tan snout in response. He and Whipper both were helping to keep me calm.

"Sorry, boy. I'm trying…" I murmured in response to my stocky, antlered Monsuno. Charger snorted in response as he and Whipper worked together to move more rubble while I searched under it for any sign. Any sign at all that my Beyal was alive.

There was nothing. I sighed and backed out again and once the chunk of concrete was let down by my Monsunos, Whipper suddenly looked up, his massive, white frill puffing up a little. I heard a screech in the distance. Airswitch came across something. My hopes skyrocketed. Maybe Dax's bird-like Monsuno found something! Lock's roar, Evo's screech, Quickforce's bray, and Longfang's roar were heard in the distance in response, and my Monsunos called back as well in reply to Airswitch's distinctive screech. I saw the Monsunos in the distance go back to digging through the rubble while Airswitch dove back down towards his Controller.

I sighed, letting my guard down, and kept rummaging through the rubble until I heard Lock's roar again. I looked up to see the massive, muscular, white-furred Monsuno trotting towards us, Evo soaring behind him. I saw Chase on Lock's shoulders.

"Jinja!" he called, his voice barely carrying over enough for me to hear. As the Monsunos stopped beside me, Chase got off of Lock and walked over to me, holding something in both of his hands. I could barely make out what it was until he handed the objects to me.

It was two Cores. Both were primarily a dark blue color, one with purple spingrips, the other with tan spingrips.

Glowblade and Arachneblade. Beyal's two Monsunos.

I was a bit shaky now as I clutched the two Cores, murmuring the Monsunos' names.

Whipper nudged me lightly and Chase wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"It's gonna be alright, Jin…" he murmured.

"We're gonna find him…we have to…" I choked out, holding the two Cores to my chest.

Another screech from Airswitch caught my attention, and I saw Longfang and Boost leaping gracefully through the rubble and Airswitch and Quickforce flying side by side. Dax was clutching tight to Boost's shoulder fur and Bren was hanging onto Quickforce.

"Princess…" Dax said as he and Bren stopped beside me and Chase. "I…I found him…"

I charged for Dax. "Where is he? Where is he? I wanna see him!"

"No, Princess…you don't…he's unrecognizable…" Dax murmured, his eyes sad.

"No…no. I…I don't believe you!" I cried out.

"Jinja, Beyal's gone. He was killed in that explosion and there's nothing we can do about it," Bren countered. I refused to believe it.

"No! I don't believe you!" I repeated.

"Princess, easy…You're in denial. Relax," Dax said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I shook it off.

"How in the world could I relax? After what happened? HELL NO I WON'T RELAX!" I shouted.

Charger and Whipper grunted and nudged me from both sides, trying to calm me down. I couldn't push them away, though. They were huge and strong. I had no chance. Tears streamed down my face, and I was trying not to break down. I felt arms around me. Three pairs of arms and the furry, scaly, or feathery heads of many Monsunos joining in on the hug. I found myself crying into Chase and Bren's shoulders, clutching Glowblade and Arachneblade in my hands. I knew I had to face it the facts.

Beyal, the sweetest, wisest, most amazing little monk you could meet was dead.

I missed him. I missed him terribly already. He was one of my best friends! I liked him! No, I LOVED him! I loved him and now he was gone!

"Princess…I have something for you though…" Dax's voice was soft and sad as the group hug ceased. Dax took something out of his coat pocket and held it up to me. "The pendants are a little chipped, but the thing itself is still good. I found it near where I found what was left of him. I woulda grabbed something else, like the bracelets, but they're broken in pieces. They don't give like this would."

I examined the object in my hand. There was a leather cord and three pendants, two yellow and a red. It was a necklace, but not just any necklace. We all knew this one well…

"Beyal's talisman…" I murmured, clenching it tightly. I hugged Dax. "Thank you…"

"You're welcome, Jinja…I'm so sorry…I know you liked him…"

"I didn't just like him…I loved him…"

Dax didn't reply, just hugged me tighter. When we finally pulled away, I looked at Charger and numbly ordered for him to put his head down so I could get on his antlers. After climbing on, Chase, Bren, and Dax ordered Evo, Longfang, and Airswitch back to their Cores. I couldn't even summon the strength or will to return Whipper. He could return on his own in a few more minutes when the time limit runs out.

Today was probably one of the worst days of my life. I definitely would never forget this day…the day my best friend was killed… I knew one thing for sure…nothing would ever be the same for me…ever... I would never forget him. Ever. Nothing could ever make me forget that boy

.

I miss you

I miss you so bad

I don't forget you

Oh, it's so sad…

I hope you can hear me

I remember it clearly…

The day you slipped away

Was the day

I found things won't be the same…

Later that night, I didn't even sit by the fire with the others. I sat by myself, looking at the dark blue Core-Tech Cores in my hands. The Cores that were spun so many times by the hand of my late friend. I could hear his voice echoing in my head, crying out their names and spinning them into battle. Proud and defiant, but still soft. He was so confident in battle. He probably had one of the best connections with a Monsuno that you could ever see. I remember him telling me and the others something regarding the whole "destiny of the five" thing. His soft, sweet voice was always music to my ears. What would happen now? We're not five anymore. We're four…and we can't get the fifth member back…

I didn't even get to kiss him on the cheek one day and probably make him blush like crazy. I didn't get to say goodbye to him, even, and it broke my heart even more. I clenched the pendants of his talisman in my hands, having long since hooked the necklace around my neck and sighed as I eyed the glowing essence inside the Cores. Part of me wondered if they'd even launch for me, but I couldn't let them stay in their Cores forever…these two Monsunos and the necklace were all I had left of Beyal…but I just couldn't bring myself to stand and draw my arm back, ready to spin them. I just couldn't. I didn't have the willpower to.

I'm never gonna see him again…I'm never gonna hear that voice or be able to look into those calm, striking dark gray eyes ever again. I clutched the Cores tighter at this realization. I didn't even care when I noticed them glow brighter and saw glowing, blue lines show up on my hands and after a few moments, disappeared. Like when we got a new Monsuno. I just shook it off and kept clutching the dark blue Cores, my mind anywhere but here. I wanted him back…I wanted Beyal back so badly.

I looked up to the stars in the night sky and quietly murmured something.

"I don't know if you can hear me, Beyal…but if you can…know that you were the best friend a girl could have, an amazing addition to the team, and that…and that I love you…" I murmured. A few moments later, a warm wind buffeted me, blowing my long, reddish-brown hair around. I looked around, brushing strands of hair away from my face. I could've sworn I heard something. I listened closer and I heard…words…a voice saying something quietly in response.

"I will never forget you, Jinja…or the others…I wish things did not turn out the way they did…but remember that I will always be with you…and that I will always love you…"

I knew that voice…that speech pattern…that whisper. Tears streamed down my face as the breeze died down, and I didn't take my eyes off the starry sky.

I didn't get around

To kiss you goodbye on the hand

I wish that I could see you again

I know that I can't

I hope you can hear me

I remember it clearly

The day you slipped away

Was the day

I found it won't be the same…

Hearing him on the wind put a bit more strength back in me. I looked at the Cores. I could never replace their Controller…but I was going to try to be the best I could be for them. They deserved to go on, though their Controller was gone. They were living beings. I shakily got to my feet and slipped the Cores into my pocket, then walked back to camp. I was greeted by my friends and sat down next to Dax and Bren. We were all shaken by the loss today, but then Bren finally spoke.

"We're gonna have to keep moving…we can't stay here forever…" he sighed.

"Amen to that, Bren," Dax responded.

"Hey Jinja…what are you gonna do with Glowblade and Arachneblade…?" Chase asked.

I looked at Chase and sighed. "I'm gonna keep them. I'm not sure if they'll launch for me, but I can't leave them in those Cores forever. I've gotta try though…I'll never be able to replace their Controller…but I can at least try to be the best I can to them…" I murmured. "I…I just wish things didn't have to turn out like this…" Tears began streaming down my cheeks again, and I was trembling a bit.

"It's ok, Princess…" Dax said, pulling me closer to him and letting me lean on his shoulder. "I wish it didn't turn out like this either…He wasn't a bad guy for a little monk…"

"I don't think we'll ever forget someone like him. Beyal was one of a kind…I'll miss him a lot," Bren sighed.

"Same here, B. I know one thing's for sure. We're gonna get through this, but let's make a deal right here, right now. The rest of this journey, wherever it takes us, we aren't doing it for ourselves or for the world, but we do it for Beyal," Chase declared calmly. He grabbed Lock's Core and held it out in his right hand.

"I agree," Bren replied, putting his right hand on top of Chase's, Quickforce's Core in his hand.

"For the little monkfish," Dax said, doing the same with Airswitch.

I put both hands in next, my left hand holding Charger resting on top of Dax's hand, and my right hand holding Glowblade on top of the stack. "For Beyal."

"For Beyal!" the rest of the group called.

We drew our hands back. That night was hard, and I found myself tearing up a few more times before I went to sleep, my head resting on Dax's leg. I looked up to the sky one last time before closing my eyes.

"Thank you, Beyal. For everything. You'll always be my little monkfish…and you'll always be in my heart…"

I miss you…


End file.
